[Rumours] Mindless Speculation Thread

[Szisz]

Given that we have very little information about anything so far, I think it's the perfect time to start making 2016 predictions based on little or no current information.

Therefore, allow me to make unfounded predictions of the Championship standings: (I'll also guess at the Manor line-up because why not)

Drivers' Championship
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Sebastian Vettel
3. Nico Rosberg
4. Kimi Raikkonen
5. Felipe Massa
6. Valtteri Bottas
7. Sergio Perez
8. Max Verstappen
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Daniel Ricciardo
11. Carlos Sainz
12. Daniil Kvyat
13. Jenson Button
14. Romain Grosjean
15. Fernando Alonso
16. Felipe Nasr
17. Esteban Gutierrez
18. Pastor Maldonado
19. Marcus Ericsson
20. Alexander Rossi
21. Jolyon Palmer
22. Rio Haryanto

Constructors Championship
1. Mercedes
2. Ferrari
3. Williams
4. Force India
5. Toro Rosso
6. Red Bull
7. McLaren
8. Haas
9. Sauber
10. Renault
11. Manor

In terms of development, Ferrari to close the gap on Mercedes over the course of the season as Mercedes shift their focus to 2017 very early. Force India and Williams will be pretty close, as will Toro Rosso and Red Bull, although the latter's dodgy power unit will leave them hamstrung. McLaren's chassis has the power to match it, although they too will mostly focus on their 2017 car. Renault and Haas will have equally good cars, with Sauber slightly behind - but the Renault comedy driver pairing will hamper them. And who knows about Manor

[ECW Dan Selby]

I think we'll very much see a repeat of 2015. Stable rules, no real driver changes, plus all this development freeze rubbish.

Get set for another dullard, me thinks!

Selby

[wolfhound]

What if Bernie has a major healthy issue putting him into hospital. At the same time one of the teams goes into administration and the organizers of one of the GP's goes bankrupt just as the teams are setting up in the paddock.

Just pure speculation but sometimes truth is stranger than Fiction.

[Szisz]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Get set for another dullard, me thinks!

Disappointing, but probably true

[cds_uk]

Originally Posted by Szisz

but the Renault comedy driver pairing will hamper them. And who knows about Manor

I have to say it, Jolyon is far better than you appear to give him credit for.

[BSchneiderFan]

I think Ferrari will be a bit closer to Mercedes, and Vettel will give the Silver Arrows a stiffer challenge. Midfield will be incredibly tight with Manor upping their game fitted with new engines. Haas may surprise.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Remember don't give out all your predictions just yet, the annual time capsule for predictions will be opened just before the season starts.

[Pontlieue]

I think Mercedes will still win the constructors' title, but Vettel will be world champion.

Williams, Red Bull and Force India will fight for 3rd-5th, with the eventual order being Williams - Red Bull - Force India

Behind those, McLaren will recover from their disastrous 2015, and establish themselves in the midfield, finishing 6th.

Toro Rosso will suffer from their older engine, and finish 7th.

Haas will join the midfield right away, and finish 8th, ahead of Renault, who spend 2016 preparing for 2017, and finish 9th.

Sauber are 10th, followed by Manor, who are much closer than in 2015, but still last.

[Szisz]

Originally Posted by cds_uk

I have to say it, Jolyon is far better than you appear to give him credit for.

I really do hope so, as there's very little that I've read about him that holds glowing praise.

Then again, my knowledge isn't close to many people on here either; I could easily have my wires crossed.

[bella]

it's very unfortunate for him that his career has taken place mostly in series that are organised by his dad. in a sport where we value drivers who have earnt their right to be supported by f1 teams and other money sources that is just about as odious as you can get.

mind you, he did a good job in gp2 and you have to have your wits about you and be pretty able to win *any* title. and he comes across very well on television. having now got this seat i do hope the new bosses at renault give him a decent shot at earning the right to be there the following year.

[p-matt]

Jolyon won me over towards the end of 2013 with superb racecraft and overtaking ability. He married that with good quali pace the year after to deservedly take the GP2 title, so he's more complete than most drivers who have been through series that rely solely on qualifying at the front and holding the lead into turn 1.

I thought most people's issue with Palmer was that it took him so long to get to where he is now? He can't afford a slow start this year. With the fact that he'll likely be the only rookie on the grid, and Renault not being sympathetic to either of their drivers if they don't perform, pressure's really on Palmer this year. Best of luck to him though.

[Oldtony]

Back to the mindless speculation, or maybe speculation about the mindless.
Would suggest there will be a lot more headlines coming out of the jostling for position by Bernie, the CVC board, Jean, the FIA, FOM, the manufacturers both as a group and in their own right and as yet not over the horizon, but wielding more power than they realise, at last a grouping of circuits and organisers.
Now that is mindless.
By comparison the racing will have to be VERY good to compete for a headline.

[Richard C]

Mindless speculation or wishful thinking? Regardless here is my look into my defective and cloudy crystal ball...

* Mercedes wins constructor championship but not as dominant as 2015
* Hamilton wins driver championship but not as dominant at 2015
* Even more drama between Hamilton and Rosberg as cracks show due to other teams/drivers putting pressure.
* Rosberg and Hamilton will each throw away at least one win each while fighting each other.
* Ferrari continues to make steps forward.
* Kimi will retire from F1 at end of year
* Williams (sadly) will not have a good year.
* Haas at times is MUCH better than expected and not at the back end of the grid, but will be let down by things like poor strategy, bungled pit stops, hit or miss race day setup, etc. They might even shock early in the season but can't keep up the pace as other teams develop their cars.
* I am on the fence as if Honda/McLaren will make BIG or almost zero improvements. I tend to think either they get it right or not much at all with not much inbetween. Either way... not a Mercedes killer by far.
* Button will outpace Alonso again.
* Alonso will crash into Button and take them both out of a race.
* While it might be viewed as a rebuilding year for Renault/Lotus, I suspect they might shock. Renault will make gains with their power unit.
* RBR will regret at the end of 2016 that they don't have a long term Renault contract.
* RBR will announce Honda contract near end of year.
* Toro Rosso will continue to close the gap to RBR.
* Force India will remain mostly the same, but maybe toward the bottom of mid-field.
* Sauber will suffer and drift downward.
* Manor will suffer badly under the new ownership/leadership. Disaster in the waiting?
* People on this forum will continue to complain about Verstappen.

Lots of fantasy, maybe some truths in the above? I tend to really not have opinions on performance until after testing is done. I am really looking forward to the 2016 season.

Richard

[old man]

I like your list Richard, perhaps we add that Verstappen will win his first race.

For discussion I think Hamilton will have a real championship fight with Vettel and lose it because of clashes with Rosberg, or, perhaps the other way round with the Mercedes pair as you speculate

[chunterer]

On equal terms Hamilton is a step ahead of Seb I think, but I certain would like to see at least one other top team/driver have a proper go at him.

[S griffin]

Here's my crazy predictions
Verstappen will replace Alonso and go on to win the title
The Mercedes will be uncompetitve and Hamilton will leave at the end of the year after being dominated by Rosberg
The RBR will suffer bad reliability and Kyvat will have the best result
Haas will struggle to get anywhere near a point, but the FIA decides to let more teams in anyway
Vettel will win for the Tifosi at Monza
Manor will be a regular top 10 finisher
Caterham will make a comeback
Renault will have a tough year and Maldonado will dominate Palmer
STR will mix it with RBR more often than not
Williams will go back towards the midfield
Sauber's car will be a disaster and people will be questioning what Ericsson is doing in F1

If half of these happen you heard it here first. If it doesn't well just remember this is just a bit of fun

[stripedcat]

Okay here's mine :-

Lewis will be WDC again. I don't think that he'll be quite as dominant as last year though.

Nico will be runner-up again.

Vettel will be third place again. He'll take a couple of wins - and also be the only non-Mercedes car to win a race.

Kimi will have a lacklustre season, and call it a day in F1. I think Verstappen will probably get the 2nd Ferrari seat.

Lewis and Nico will have a major battle and quite a bad falling out. There will tangle whilst racing - and that will be the big media furore of the season. Whether or not, it's enough to make Nico leave Mercedes is another thing. Things will be tense in the Mercedes team.

Red Bull will be no where again in performance terms.

Williams will go backwards and into the midfield.

Mclaren will make some improvements, but only be in the midfield.

They'll be two wet weather races.

[bauble]

I predict you will all be completely wrong!!!